Would you pay $100 a year for Xbox Live?

Trent Nouveau, 1st September 2010

Would you be willing to cough up $100 a year to access Microsoft’s Xbox Live online service?

Well, according to Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter, Microsoft is quite likely to introduce a $100 Platinum package sometime in the near future.

"If they can get 2 million users to switch from the $60 plan to the $100 plan, they'll make an extra $80 million a year, and can keep investing to try to grow that business," Pachter told Industry Gamers.

"[Remember], the Xbox 360 can work as a media center and conceivably could do things like managing a music library. Although Apple and Microsoft aren't the best of friends, I could see Apple letting Xbox Live members manage their iTunes accounts through their 360s, and other such premium services."

Pachter added that an Xbox Live Platnium service could also include virtual goods credits for various Microsoft games.

"[For example], if members could get specialized Halo armor or weapons worth the extra $40, they might be more willing to sign up, and it doesn't really cost Microsoft anything to offer things like that."

$100 a year for Xbox Live? Yikes!

Then again, multiplayer gaming has always struck me as highly overrated and way too time consuming.

So, I think I'll just stick to playing some of my favorite titles, like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, Halo Wars and C&C. No way am I paying $100 for an extra suit of friggin' Halo armor or a rifle - no matter how kickass it is.